


Change of Plans

by Rosa52



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-10 03:01:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7827799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosa52/pseuds/Rosa52





	1. Chapter 1

CJ couldn’t have said what shifted her into consciousness. There was no obnoxious, shrieking alarm, no gently insistent press of sunlight against her eyelids. Not even half awake but no longer asleep, she shifted, catching the scent of a familiar aftershave. CJ smiled, rolling over. She settled herself against the man sleeping next to her, nudging her head into the crook of his neck. Barely aware of what she was doing, CJ pressed a light kiss against his throat, then relaxed with a sigh of contentment. Just before she slipped back into sleep, something about the sensation of his beard against her forehead or the warm solidity of his body next to hers sent a bolt of awareness straight to her brain. The realization that this wasn’t a dream rolled up her spine in a paralyzing wave, leaving her frozen, still in Danny’s arms, frantically searching for any memory of how she’d gotten there.

Danny knew the second she realized he was there. The clock on the bedside told him that it was barely six in the morning, but on principle, he couldn’t object to being woken by a drowsy kiss from CJ Cregg in his bed. Still fuzzy from sleep, Danny said a silent prayer of thanks that he was awake. He’d felt her entire body go stiff, and he knew she was just seconds from letting panic and self-recrimination take over. Not that there was anything to regret, of course, but CJ was always so hard on herself. Even just a few seconds of preparation time might give Danny time to formulate the words that would keep CJ from adding last night and this morning to the portfolio of mistakes she held over her own head. _Hell_ , Danny thought with a wry half smile, _maybe I’m the one overthinking this. Maybe I’ll look down and she’ll be_ … He couldn’t even finish the thought, though, because he looked down and CJ was not smiling. She looked trapped; he could almost feel the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she took frightened, shallow breaths. Danny’s heart twisted. It would have been the most natural thing in the world to run a comforting hand down her back, or tuck her hair behind her ear, but he held the tender gestures back, careful not to add to CJ’s distress. “Hey,” he said quietly, waiting for her to meet his eyes.

CJ licked her suddenly dry lips, heart pounding. She had an impressive vocabulary, a widely-acknowledged talent for expressing herself clearly, but she couldn’t find the words to ask Danny what the hell she was doing in bed with him – and why she couldn’t remember it. _OK_ , she thought to herself, struggling for control. _Let’s start with action verbs_. “Danny… Did… Did we…” _Start with action verbs_ , _my ass_ , her brain hissed. Her heart felt like it was shriveling in her chest, except that there was also a chance it was going to pound right out of her. Danny’s cornflower blue eyes were lit with concern and confusion. CJ tried again. “I can’t remember… _I can’t remember_. Did we…” Understanding dawned on his face. “Oh, my God. No, CJ, _no_ – we – you don’t remember… How much of last night _do_ you remember?”

A little sob of relief escaped from CJ’s lips, and this time Danny couldn’t stop himself from laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She didn’t seem to mind – her body relaxed, and her head inched closer to his on the pillow. “I know I came in from Ohio last – was it last night? Unless – are we in Ohio?” The panic was back. “No,” Danny said quickly, “No, we’re in DC. We’re in my apartment. It’s –“ But CJ cut him off. “ _Oh my God_ ,” she said, the words coming out in a rush, “What time is it? I’m late – Danny, I’m so sorry, I have to –“ “ _No_ ,” Danny said more forcefully. “CJ, _breathe_. It’s Saturday morning. Early Saturday morning. December 18th. You don’t have to work – you cleared it already so you’d have time to decompress after Ohio. Nobody’s expecting you in until Monday.” CJ looked at him suspiciously and Danny had to keep himself from laughing. He could swear he got this look more than anyone else, seemingly always when he was telling her something he knew she wanted to hear.

Even as Danny reminded her that she’d cleared her absence over the weekend, CJ’s memory-fogging panic was dissipating, bringing at least some of the facts of the past few days back within her reach. _But wait_ , CJ’s brain snapped, _Danny didn’t get to know when she’d requested time off_. “How do you know that, Fishboy?” Danny smiled sheepishly. “ _Carol_ ,” CJ sighed. Danny huffed a short laugh, his breath warm against her hair. “Look, let me just walk through everything from last night, OK? If I start telling you something you already know, stop me.” CJ nodded, scooting even closer to him, hoping he wouldn’t notice. He’d gloat. Well, no. He wouldn’t. But still.

Danny did notice, but he kept his voice steady, his smile reassuring. Relaxing against the pillow, he got his thoughts in order. The hand he’d put on her shoulder began tracing small circles between her shoulder blades as he recounted the night before. “So, last night, I was home, working on an article, when I got a phone call. From you, actually, but it wasn’t you on the phone. Nice lady from Cleveland who was with you, said you were waiting on me to pick you up from the airport.” Dumbfounded, CJ stared at him. “I had a town car scheduled to pick me up, Danny. What…” “See, that’s what I figured,” Danny agreed. “But I asked the lady if I could speak with you, and she put you on. I asked you if you wanted me to come pick you up, and you said yes. You sounded kinda… jingly, so I got to you as quickly as I could.”

CJ stared at Danny through narrowed eyes. “ _Jingly_?” she asked, hoping he wasn’t getting at what she thought he was getting at. “Yeah… just, you know, a little loose. Still you,” he reassured her. “Just, not quite as, ah, restrained.” “Oh, God.” “No, CJ, really. It’s all right. I got to Dulles, and walked right past your town car driver. You were standing with the lady. She said you’d had a few Ambien with a bloody Mary on the plane –“ “Oh, _God_ …” “- but that you were all right. You… made it pretty clear that you wanted me to take you home, and –“ “What did I say, Danny?” “Ah… Well, you walked up, you kissed me, and you said, ‘Take me home, Nimrod.’” _Jesus Christ_. Danny was watching her closely, clearly trying to gauge her reaction. Grimly, CJ nodded at him to keep going. “So I gave your town car guy a tip and told him to take the Cleveland lady to her hotel, and then we went and got your bag. And I figured I would get you back to your apartment, but when I asked you for directions, you told me you didn’t know.” “I _didn’t know_?” “Yeah, well. You gave me that look you always give me when you think I’m being ridiculous and asked me how the hell you were supposed to know how to get to my place from Dulles. Nimrod. I asked a couple more times, but you were pretty insistent, and I figured this way, I could make sure you were OK.” CJ buried her head against Danny’s shoulder, and he ran a comforting hand over her hair before going back to tracing shapes on her back. “So, we got up here, and I asked if you wanted to change into pajamas. Only, you were having trouble with your suitcase.” “Trouble how?” “Trouble… opening it, I guess. And then – you weren’t doing so hot at finding PJs. Mostly you just… nevermi-“ “Not a chance, Danny. I just what?” CJ could all but feel him blushing. “You kept passing me lingerie, CJ. I dunno. It’s – don’t get me wrong, CJ, it’s, ah, well, but I didn’t know what you wanted to sleep in, so –“ CJ’s shoulders were shaking, Danny noted with concern. Was she – surely she wasn’t crying, but she’d had a tough morning, waking up in his bed with no idea how she’d gotten there. Maybe – CJ snorted, overcome with laughter. “I’m sorry, Danny,” she managed to say. “It’s – it’s just you trying to be such a gentleman, and Ambien me hell bent on… making you blush. I can just see it. Anyway. Go on.” Baffled but relieved, Danny went on. “So, I got you a t-shirt and a pair of boxers, and said you should go to the bedroom and change.” CJ glanced down furtively. She was wearing a soft, well-loved Notre Dame t-shirt and a pair of blue boxers. “And how did we end up in the same bed?” she asked, this time without any suspicion. Danny looked a little nervous.

“You were having… trouble changing,” he began. Remembering the last time he’d said she’d had “trouble,” CJ braced to hear Ambien-CJ’s great attempt at seduction. “It sounded like you maybe fell over? And you called for me. So, I came in, and helped you, ah, change clothes, and –“ “Whoa there, Fishboy. Easy. I trust you, Danny, I do. I’m assuming that, since I was showing you all my underwear earlier, I didn’t make it easy for you to truss me up and tuck me in.” “Yeah, not exactly. But, ah, you got dressed –“ CJ smirked. “You got an eyeful?” Danny’s blush was in danger of taking over his entire body. “You got dressed, and then you wanted to perform –“ “ _What_?!” “- The Jackal. I think because I always tease you about wanting a private performance…?” Danny’s voice trailed off as CJ started laughing again. It was mortifying, but it was hilarious. And at least she got to picture Danny’s reaction. “So, did I?” CJ couldn’t resist asking. “You… kind of did. You told me to lay down, and I said no, but – it – we made a deal. If I laid down, you wouldn’t undress. So I laid down, and you kind of laid down next to me, or over me, kind of, and you, ah, sang The Jackal. And I said you needed to get some rest, but you asked me to stay and talk with you until you fell asleep. And you… sounded more like yourself, you know? So I did. Only I think I fell asleep before you did, which is why I was still in the bed, instead of on the couch, when you woke up.”

CJ was blushing, Danny noted, but she’d laughed at some parts of the story. On the whole, she was taking the whole thing really well. The overwhelming tension that had resulted from trying to describe her Ambien-fueled advances to her without making her feel ashamed began to dissipate. “Jesus, Danny,” CJ said softly, laughing wryly. “I… I’m sorry,” she began, but Danny cut her off with a swift shake of his head. “No,” CJ persisted, “I am. And thank you. I think… after Ohio, I… It was a rough trip. I didn’t want to be alone. And I’m embarrassed that I put you through all that, but I’m thankful that you stayed with me.” Danny didn’t quite know how to respond. None of the words that came to mind were exactly right, but he had to say something. Tucking her hair behind her ear, he smiled at her. “Of course, CJ. Always. You know that.” Acknowledging his statement, CJ smiled back, then leaned in to kiss him softly. It was a sweet kiss, a chaste kiss, really – the kind of kiss that friends might exchange – but it somehow felt like the seal of a promise. A little off-balance, Danny asked, “So, what do you want to do today?” Immediately, he wished he’d phrased it differently so it didn’t sound like he assumed she’d be spending the day with him. _What the hell_ , _though_ , he thought a little recklessly. Maybe she would spend the day with him.

CJ started to smile regretfully, to tell him that she should go to the White House, get caught up, but the words never made it out of her mouth. It would have been true, was true – there was always work – but she’d cleared the weekend, and she did need time to decompress after Ohio. “Honestly, I don’t know,” CJ admitted. “What about you?” “Actually, I went and bought a Christmas tree yesterday,” Danny began. Pushing his luck, he added, “You seemed to really like it when you saw it last night. I haven’t decorated it yet, so I was planning on doing that today. You’re… Ah, if you’d like to help me, you’re more than welcome.”

CJ didn’t bother trying to hold her grin back. “I would love to!” she accepted with obvious enthusiasm. She really couldn’t imagine a better way to spend a free day after a difficult trip than enjoying the Christmas spirit, decorating a Christmas tree… with Danny. Danny looked so pleased by her response that her heart ached a little. “D’you want coffee now?” he asked. “And I can make breakfast. Or, you know, since it’s your day off, you could sleep in a little. It’s not even 7:00 yet.” CJ considered the options. “Yes to all of that,” she decided with a satisfied smile. “Sleep, then coffee and breakfast. Although I should really be the one to make you breakfast, considering.” Danny just grinned and shook his head. “I’ll, ah, be on the couch; just wake me when –“ “Danny,” CJ began, charging past the sensible objections of her better judgment. “It’s 7:00 on a Saturday morning, and I think this sleeping in idea is a great one. I also think… I think, unless you want to get up, that you should stay right here. With me. And sleep. Like we were.” Danny looked like she’d concussed him. Then his eyes lit and a wondering smile broke out across his face. “OK,” he said, joy practically radiating off him. He lay down next to CJ, shifting close to her as she nuzzled into his beard and slipped one leg between his. He draped one of his arms protectively over her, pressed a kiss to her temple, and lay there glorying in the feel of it all.


	2. 2

10:00 AM

“How is it that I’m lower than you on this mattress, but my feet still aren’t hanging off?” He honestly hadn’t thought he’d be able to sleep with CJ Cregg in his bed, but clearly, he’d dozed off at some point. Danny blinked twice, adjusting to the morning light coming in through the window. “Uh, it’s a tall mattress,” he responded, trying to stretch without shifting her away from him. “For… tall people.” He could almost feel her considering his answer. “Danny,” she began in a tone that immediately made him picture a narrow-eyed stare, “It’s not that you’re short. But you’re not _that_ tall. You could sleep on a normal mattress.” More awake now, Danny sighed inwardly. He should have dodged this question. “I… Yeah. But I dunno, I liked it. Liked the idea of having a little extra room.” “Danny.” Her voice was serious now, no longer idly curious. Danny started to brace himself, but for what, he had no idea. “Yeah?” “Do you have a… type?” Taken aback, he tried to figure out how to respond. “A _type_?” “I guess that’s not really the way to ask. I mean, do you have, like, a _thing_ for tall women? For… _very_ tall women?” Danny started to laugh and then couldn’t stop. Looking down, he was hit by the full impact of CJ’s commanding glare. “ _Danny_. I’m just asking, is this a… a _thing_ for you? Because I’m tall, but I’m not _very_ tall. Not that we’re… I just want to know why you’d invest in a bed that you really don’t need to be comfortable when –“ “ _CJ_ ,” he interrupted, finally able to control his laughter. “ _No_. I didn’t buy this mattress to accommodate the parade of WNBA players I see on the weekends. I bought it – _Jesus_. I bought it because it was a comfortable mattress, and they had it in the store.” He paused. CJ started to feel a hot flush of embarrassment – she had thought she’d found a fun fact to needle him with, but it turned out that it needled her, too. _And_ she’d been wrong. She started to apologize, but he wasn’t done talking. In a slightly softer tone, he continued. “And as you pointed out, the woman I _do_ have a thing for is tall. Not _very_ tall, but tall. And the way we’re laying now, we can be comfortable without your feet hanging off the bed. So when I went to buy a new mattress, it _may_ have occurred to me that buying the bed with an extra six inches could be… nice if, y'know, the woman of my dreams was ever sleeping in it. So.” He was blushing now, CJ noted, but it barely registered under her own rush of emotions. There was a little panic, and a little reflexive eye-rolling, but mostly warmth. Mostly a steady, shimmering joy that worked its way through her body. CJ knew she was smiling hugely, knew she was showing more emotion than was probably wise, but couldn’t bring herself to care. She pressed another kiss to his throat, an inch or so beneath where the scruff of his beard ended, still smiling. A little sheepish, a little vulnerable, she met Danny’s eyes and saw her own emotions reflected back. She took a breath and let it out. “Good morning.”

10:30 AM  
CJ sat at Danny’s kitchen counter, arguing with his firm refusal to allow her to help cook breakfast. “I _can_ cook, Fishboy,” she snapped, her tone at odds with the carols on the radio. “I don’t doubt that, CJ,” was his calm response. “I can make pancakes you can only _dream_ of,” she taunted. Danny laughed as he measured the flour. “You know I believe in you, CJ. In pancakes as in all things.” “Then why can’t I help?” “You’re my guest, CJ. You’re my guest, and I’m glad you’re here, and I’d like to make you breakfast.” CJ's heart gave a little throb as the same steady joy she'd felt before welled up in her chest. “Bully,” she accused with a smile, eyes locked on his.

Danny rarely got to see the combination of her wide smile and her hot coals stare. He’d like to pretend it only robbed him of coherent speech because she used it so sparingly, but even if she looked at him like that every day, he probably would never get used to it. Even the thought of seeing her like that every day had him grinning like an idiot. “The ornaments for the tree are in the boxes by my desk,” he offered. “You can make a plan of attack for that and I’ll follow it faithfully. I know how you love plans.” CJ arched a brow, but her eyes lit. “I’ll show you a plan, Fishboy,” she tossed back over her shoulder.


	3. 3

She would never admit it, but his pancakes were better than hers. She couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was – were they fluffier? More tender? Was it just that she didn’t have to do the dishes for them? – but they really were delicious. “So, tell me about your plan,” he said when she’d set her fork aside. “Oh, it’s a hell of a plan,” she promised. “But I’m not going to tell you the whole thing. You’ll get all take-charge-y and start skipping steps, and I’ve thought this through. So I’ll lay it out for you one step at a time, and then at the end, we can sit back and marvel at my genius.” Danny didn’t bother to stifle his snicker. “Yes, ma’am,” he said with a salute. CJ sent him a quelling glance. “Lights first, Fishboy. Let’s go.” They’d barely even untangled the first string when Danny started in. “Really, CJ, it’s difficult for me to visualize the end results of all this effort without the rest of your plan.” She ignored him. “You know how important it is to set achievable goals when you’re faced with a daunting task.” She snickered, but still showed no inclination to rise to his bait. Danny wheeled out the big guns. “I hate to say this to a treasured guest in my home, but frankly, I’m just not confident that I’m going to be able to marvel at your genius at the end of this.” CJ’s head snapped up, and she raked him with a hot stare. “Are you questioning my planning capabilities, Fishboy?” “I’m a journalist, CJ. I’m requesting proof. Can’t just believe in every unsubstantiated assertion of competence.” Christ, she looked incredible – still wearing his t-shirt and boxers, holding a string of lights that they’d plugged in to test for dead bulbs. Their glow added additional fire to a fierce grin that perfectly represented her mix of amusement and indignation, reminding him of the possibility that she might beat him up just because she’d find it fun. Her grin kicked up a few watts, and Danny wondered what he’d gotten himself into. “You know what, Danny,” she began, clearly savoring the moment, “I owe you. And just to be clear, that relates to me _telling_ you my plan, not to the _content_ of the plan.” Confused, Danny waited for her to continue. “Since you’ve been such a gracious host, and as a sop to your journalistic integrity or whatever, we’ll run through it, but under no circumstances – _really none_ , Nimrod – are we skipping steps.” Danny waited, brows raised. “We’re going to check the lights, put the lights on the tree. Light the lights, because they’re pretty and why the hell not.” So far, CJ’s tree decorating plan of attack was traditional, bordering on staid. He started to tell her so, but she barreled on. “Next up, the really good ornaments – the handmade ones, or the ones with special meaning.” Danny wondered if she’d seen how many goldfish ornaments he had – whether she’d smile outright at that, or whether she’d go with one of those scowls that meant the same as a smile. CJ continued. “Then comes the B-Squad ornaments, then the star on the top.” CJ drew a deep breath. “Then, Danny, I’m going to kiss you. And since I haven’t indulged in Ambien or vodka or any unholy, mind-erasing combination of the two, I’m going to touch you. Because I want to, and I’m capable of giving consent. And you don’t have to tell me no.” A little uncertain, CJ continued, “…unless you want to say no.” At the other end of the string of lights she was holding, Danny was gaping at her. He’d started shaking his head emphatically when CJ suggested that he might not want her touching him, though, so she was feeling pretty confident about the direction the afternoon was heading in. Grinning at his shell-shocked expression, CJ quirked a brow and asked, “Any questions?”

Danny’s usual eloquence was totally and completely out of his reach at the moment. He wasn’t sure he could formulate a coherent thought, much less articulate a question, with the prospect of touching CJ – and of CJ touching him – crowding his head. But what did she mean with touching? A question! “Just – when you say touching, CJ… What do you mean?” CJ’s smile dimmed a little, but Danny couldn’t regret asking. “I just… CJ, I’m fine with whatever boundaries you need. I don’t want to push past where you’re comfortable, and I sure as hell don’t want to hold back if you don’t want me to.” CJ nodded, giving him an affectionate half smile. “You’re right. Time to ask for what I want.” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “I want you, Danny. I think we should have sex – under the tree, and then probably on your special tall person bed, and then maybe under the tree again. Or the bed again. Wherever. That is, if you’re interested.” Danny was already reaching for her, but CJ pushed him away firmly. “I’m right there with you, Fishboy, but no skipping steps.”

CJ’s infuriating no-skipping policy had the effect of making everything into foreplay. She probably knew that would happen when she put the policy in place, but if she’d had any doubts, she would have realized how much her every move was affecting him when just watching her test the strength of a bough – weighing it in her hand, checking its girth, stroking lightly to the end – tore a groan from Danny’s chest. CJ raked him with a hot coals stare, a slow smile blooming on her face. Eyes still on Danny, CJ teased her bottom lip with her tongue; it took all of his willpower to hold back another groan. Instead, Danny shot her a slow smile of his own. Picking an ornament, he stood behind her, pressing his length against her as he reached to hang it on one of the upper branches. Once the brightly colored orb was secure, he brought his hand down, giving CJ’s hip a squeeze as he pressed a light kiss to the side of her neck. Her breath hissed out and he felt a shudder roll through her body. “No skipping steps,” she insisted, her voice a little husky. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Danny replied, suppressing a smirk. Considering her plan, CJ decided it didn’t count as skipping a step if touching Danny just happened – as a natural part of decorating the tree. Besides, turnabout was fair play. Danny, hanging the ornament his mother had given him years ago for the first Christmas tree he bought on his own, missed the calculating look in CJ’s eye as she sauntered toward him.

CJ made a point of asking for the backstory of each ornament that looked like it deserved pride of place. As a journalist, Danny understood the power of a well-posed question, but he hadn’t expected the rush of warmth that resulted when CJ showed genuine interest in ornaments handmade by nieces and nephews, picked up along the campaign trail, or – memorably – filched from one of the White House trees years ago. The ornaments gave CJ a glimpse of parts of Danny’s life that would never have come up in the halls of the West Wing – and gave him a chance to ask her about her life before and beyond the White House. The morning passed quickly, the hours filled with laughter and “accidental” caresses. By early afternoon, the most meaningful ornaments had all been settled, with special efforts being made to show the official White House ornaments for the Bartlet administration to advantage. There was a small clash of wills over one ornament – a bright pink flamingo in a Santa hat that Danny had picked up in Miami just after CJ had told him her Secret Service code name. Danny insisted that it deserved a prominent position on the tree; CJ argued that it was distracting, and would be better on the back of the tree, partially hidden among the branches. Danny won, even managing to persuade CJ to hang the ornament herself. He would admit that describing CJ putting the flamingo on the tree as “signing her work” might have been taking it a little far. When CJ elbowed him in the ribs, he took the blow with manful stoicism and considered it worth it.

Still savoring the breathless squeak Danny had let out when she’d jammed her elbow into his side, CJ watched idly as Danny, precariously balanced on a chair, placed the star on top of the tree. Sign her work, indeed, she thought with a smirk. “Got it!” came Danny’s satisfied huff. “Plug it in, CJ?” The star sat a little drunkenly on the tree’s tallest branch, but it was such a perfect match for the always just-slightly-scruffy Danny that she couldn’t bring herself to straighten it. Smiling, she met Danny’s eyes, then bent to plug the star in. As she rose, she could already feel him beside her; when she turned into his arms, she saw that the irrepressible smile on her face was mirrored on his. Their kiss was equal parts heat and joy, deepening as their hands roamed freely. Bathed in the glow of the tree, they sank to the floor.


End file.
